During February half term, our year 12 students spent a week in Aachen, Germany completing a Work Experience placement. This was the ideal opportunity to practise their language skills and experience first hand German life and culture. The students chose work placements from an extensive list covering a wide range of areas and interest. These ranged from working in a restaurant to working in shops, hotels, fitness centres, nursery schools and local businesses. I am proud to say that this is the eighth successful year of the programme, which is organised externally by Halsbury Travel. The trip was a rewarding and invaluable experience for the group. As well as gaining experience of working in Germany, students also benefitted from the taste of independence it afforded and the opportunity to practise their language skills in a real-life working environment. All students also benefitted socially as they gained the confidence to meet and interact with new people and make new friends in an environment very much out of their usual comfort zone. It was no doubt an unforgettable experience from which they have also gained valuable social skills as young adults. The group has returned full of enthusiasm, confidence and energy and are keen to demonstrate their newly enhanced linguistic skills in the upcoming examinations.